Joey Aguilar to Attend NFL Combine Amidst College Eligibility Dispute
Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar will participate in the NFL Combine next week, even as he continues to fight for another year of eligibility with the Volunteers, sources confirmed to On3 and WVLT.
Eligibility Case in Knox County Court
Aguilar is currently awaiting a ruling from Chancellor Chris Heagerty in Knox County Chancery Court regarding his eligibility for the 2026 season. He is challenging the NCAA’s rules concerning eligibility for former junior college players, arguing that his previous JUCO seasons should not count against his four years of NCAA eligibility. He previously removed himself as a plaintiff in a federal lawsuit challenging the same NCAA rule, opting to pursue his case in Tennessee state court.
Limited Combine Participation
To avoid potentially jeopardizing his college eligibility, Aguilar will attend the NFL Combine for a condensed 48-hour period, rather than the typical five-day event. Sources indicate that even if he receives a favorable ruling from Chancellor Heagerty, he will still limit his time at the combine to two days in case the decision is appealed. A notification has been sent to all 32 NFL teams informing them of Aguilar’s limited participation.
Recent Medical Update
Aguilar recently underwent surgery in January to address a benign tumor in his throwing arm that was impacting his biceps tendon and labrum. He is reportedly ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation and anticipates being able to resume throwing next month, but will not participate in throwing drills at the combine.
2025 Season Performance
Despite dealing with pain and weakness from the tumor last season, Aguilar led the SEC in passing yards per game with 274.2 and threw for 24 touchdowns in his first season at Tennessee after transferring from UCLA.
Potential NIL Impact and NFL Prospects
Gaining another year of eligibility would significantly benefit Aguilar, potentially exceeding $2 million in total Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) earnings at Tennessee. While not currently projected as a high-round NFL draft pick, another season of collegiate football could improve his NFL stock.
Aguilar’s Collegiate Journey
Aguilar’s college career began at City College of San Francisco in 2019, where he redshirted. The 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He then played at Diablo Valley Community College in 2021-22 before transferring to Appalachian State for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. After a brief stint at UCLA, he transferred to Tennessee following Nico Iamaleava’s departure to UCLA, starting all 13 games for the Vols in 2025.
The NFL Combine is scheduled to take place from next Monday through March 2 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, with quarterback drills set for Saturday, February 28.